Pallet

ABSTRACT

A pallet includes two bottom plates and three supporting members. A plane is defined by the two bottom plates. The three supporting members are secured to the two bottom plates. A first passageway is defined between every adjacent two supporting members and allows for a forklift fork to be in along a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to the plane. The first passageway further allows for the forklift fork to slide out of along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to transporting tools, and moreparticularly to a pallet for transporting merchandise.

2. Description of Related Art

A pallet is often used to transport merchandise by a forklift. Thepallet comprises a plurality of bottom plates and a plurality of topplates secured to the plurality of bottom plates. A passageway isdefined every adjacent two bottom plates to receive a forklift fork.When the merchandise needs to be transported, the merchandise is placedon the plurality of top plates, and forklift fork is received in thepassageway to move the pallet. However, when the merchandise has beenplaced on the plurality of top plates, it is inconvenient for theforklift fork to disengage from the merchandise. Therefore, there isroom for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with referenceto the following drawings. The components in the drawings are notnecessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed uponclearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in thedrawings, like-reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a pallet in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but viewed from a different aspect.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way oflimitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereferences indicate similar elements. It should be noted that referencesto “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily tothe same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one”.

FIGS. 1-2 illustrate a pallet in accordance with an embodiment. Thepallet comprises two bottom plates 20 and three supporting members 30secured to the two bottom plates 20. In one embodiment, the two bottomplates 20 are substantially parallel to each other, and the threesupporting members 30 are substantially parallel to each other andperpendicular to the two bottom plates 20.

A plane is defined by the two bottom plates 20. The pallet comprises twofirst passageways 40. Each first passageway 40 is defined between everyadjacent two supporting members 30. A forklift fork (not shown) can bemoved downward in a first direction (X) that is substantiallyperpendicular to the plane defined by the two bottom plates 20. Theforklift fork also can be slid out of the two passageways 40 in secondfirst direction (Y) that is substantially perpendicular to the firstdirection (X).

Each supporting member 30 comprises two side panels 32 and a pluralityof top panels 31 secured to the two side panels 32. The two side panels32 are secured to the two bottom plates 20, and the plurality of toppanels 31 are located on a same plane and substantially parallel to thetwo bottom plates 20.

Each side panel 32 comprises a bottom surface 34. A first cutout 35 anda second cutout 36 are defined in the bottom surface 34. In oneembodiment, the plurality of first cutouts 35 of the supporting members30 is arranged at in a first straight line to define a second passageway37. The plurality of second cutouts 36 of the supporting member 30 arearranged at in a second straight line to define a third passageway 38.The second passageway 37 is substantially parallel to the thirdpassageway 38. The forklift fork can be slid into the second passageway37 and the third passageway 38 in a third direction (Z) that issubstantially perpendicular to the first direction (X) and the seconddirection (Y).

The plurality of top panels 31 are used to contact the merchandise, anda receiving space 33 is defined between every adjacent two top panels31. The receiving space 33 is used to receive an extending portion, suchas a wheel, located on the bottom portion of the merchandise. Thus, ifthe merchandise comprises a wheel located on the bottom portion, thewheel is received in the receiving space 33, the main body of themerchandise contacts with the plurality of top panel 31, and themerchandise can be stably set on the pallet.

In use, when the merchandise is placed on the pallet, the merchandise islift up by the forklift fork. Until the forklift fork is moved above thetwo first passageways 40 and aligned with the two first passageways 40,the forklift fork is moved in the first direction (X, downward) and intothe two passageways 40 to place the merchandise on the plurality of toppanels 31. When the merchandise is located on the plurality of toppanels 31, the forklift fork is slid out of the two passageways 40 inthe second direction (Y).

When the merchandise needs to be removed from the pallet, the forkliftfork is slid into the two passageways 40 in a direction opposite to thesecond direction (Y). When the merchandise is lifted by the forkliftfork, the forklift fork is moved in direction opposite to the firstdirection (X, upward) to remove the merchandise from the pallet.

When the merchandise and the pallet together need to move, the forkliftfork is slid into the second passageway 37 and the third passageway 38in the third direction (Z). When the forklift fork is received in thesecond passageway 37 and the third passageway 38, the forklift fork ismoved upward, and the merchandise and the pallet can be moved.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoingdescription of embodiments, together with details of the structures andfunctions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only andchanges may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size,and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to thefull extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in whichthe appended claims are expressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A pallet comprising: two bottom plates; a planeis defined by the two bottom plates; three supporting members secured tothe two bottom plates and configured to support merchandise; and a firstpassageway is defined between every adjacent two supporting members;wherein the first passageway allows for a forklift fork to extendtherethrough along a first direction that is substantially perpendicularto the plane defined by the two bottom plates, and the first passagewayfurther allows for the forklift fork to slide out of the firstpassageway, along a second direction that is substantially perpendicularto the first direction.
 2. The pallet of claim 1, wherein eachsupporting member comprises two side panels and a plurality of toppanels secured to the two side panels; and the two side panels aresecured to the two bottom plates.
 3. The pallet of claim 2, wherein eachside panels is substantially perpendicular to the each bottom plate. 4.The pallet of claim 2, wherein each top panel is substantiallyperpendicular to each side panel and parallel to each bottom plate. 5.The pallet of claim 2, wherein the two side panels are substantiallyparallel each other.
 6. The pallet of claim 2, wherein a receiving spaceis defined between adjacent two of the plurality of top panels forreceiving an extending portion of the merchandise.
 7. The pallet ofclaim 2, wherein a first cutout and a second cutout is defined in eachside panel; the first cutout of each side panel is arranged at in afirst straight line to define a second passageway, the second cutout ofeach side panel is arranged at in a second straight line to define athird passageway, and the second passageway and the third passagewayallow the forklift fork to be in along a third direction that issubstantially perpendicular to the first direction and the seconddirection.
 8. The pallet of claim 7, wherein the second passageway issubstantially parallel to the third passageway.
 9. A pallet comprising:two bottom plates; a plane is defined by the two bottom plates; threesupporting members secured to the two bottom plates and configured tosupport merchandise; a first passageway and a second passageway aredefined between every adjacent two supporting members, and the firstpassageway is substantially perpendicular to the second passageway;wherein the first passageway allows for a forklift fork to extendtherethrough, along a first direction that is substantiallyperpendicular to the plane defined by the two bottom plates, the firstpassageway further allows for the forklift fork to slide out of thefirst passageway, along a second direction that is substantiallyperpendicular to the first direction; and the second passageway allowsthe forklift fork to be extend therethrough along a third direction thatis substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the seconddirection.
 10. The pallet of claim 9, wherein each supporting membercomprises two side panels and a plurality of top panels secured to thetwo side panels; the two side panels are secured to the two bottomplates, and the plurality of top panels are configured to support themerchandise.
 11. The pallet of claim 10, wherein each side panels issubstantially perpendicular to the each bottom plate.
 12. The pallet ofclaim 10, wherein each top panel is substantially perpendicular to eachside panel and parallel to each bottom plate.
 13. The pallet of claim10, wherein the two side panels are substantially parallel each other.14. The pallet of claim 10, wherein a receiving space is defined betweenadjacent two of the plurality of top panels for receiving an extendingportion of the merchandise.
 15. The pallet of claim 10, wherein a firstcutout is defined in each side panel; and the second passageway isdefined by the first cutout of each side panel.
 16. The pallet of claim15, wherein a second cutout is defined in each side panel, the secondcutout of each side panel is arranged at in a straight line to define athird passageway, and the third passageway is substantially parallel tothe second passageway.